Briefly In Public Safety

February 10, 2011

Thousands reported stolen from Montage

A person in Texas is suspected of embezzling $40,000 from the Montage Resort Laguna by creating false checks and depositing 30 of them into an account at a Texas bank, according to Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Louise Callus.

The incident was reported to Laguna Beach police at 9:45 a.m. Monday, according to police records.

The checks were written on the hotel's payroll account, Callus said. Laguna police are handing the case over to law enforcement in Texas for investigation.

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Bank fraud totaling millions alleged

A Laguna Beach resident got a notice from his bank that he was overdrawn by more than $9 million, money he did not have in that account, Callus said. The bank also notified him that $62,000 was removed from his New York account and distributed in two wire transfers. The resident filed a fraud report with Laguna police at 1:18 p.m. Monday. The report will be sent to New York for investigation.

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Woman jailed after allegedly failing to pay cab fare

A Reno woman was arrested at 5:56 p.m. Tuesday on suspicion of defrauding a taxi cab driver by allegedly paying for a $30 fare with a debit card that did not have sufficient funds, Callus said.

The cab driver drove to police headquarters, where it was determined that the suspect had been arrested several times for taking cabs without having the funds to pay, Callus said. She was booked and taken to Orange County Jail.

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Another card skimming victim surfaces

Another incident of credit card skimming at a Laguna Beach gas station was reported at 9:05 a.m. Jan. 31, according to police records.

A credit card that was used for a fraudulent $177 purchase was swiped at the same Shell gas station that a Glendale man has been accused of targeting with a card-skimming device, Callus said. That card, owned by a Laguna Beach resident, was used to purchase gas at the station in January, according to police records. Akop Tadevosovich Changryan, 27, was arrested Jan. 27 after a lengthy investigation.

Laguna Beach police are now looking for additional victims of the card skimming, according to Callus.

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Moving boxes reported swiped

Three moving boxes containing $7,000 worth of belongings, including a TV, were reported stolen from a driveway in the 100 block of Cedar Way at 5:52 p.m. Feb. 1, Callus said.

The victim was moving, and the boxes were left in the driveway for about five minutes. No suspects were seen taking the boxes, according to police.